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Chapter Thirty-Six: Labor Day
"Chapter Thirty-Six: Labor Day" is the Labor Day themed episode of The CW series , originally aired as the first episode of the show's third season. Synopsis As the jury begins deliberations in his murder trial, Archie makes a surprising request about how he wants to spend his final days of summer. Betty is forced to deal with her problems head-on after a heated confrontation with Alice and Polly brings up some dark secrets she's kept hidden. Veronica pleads with Hiram to step in and help Archie before a verdict is announced. Finally, Jughead leads the Serpents against the Ghoulies latest attack. Plot Three months have passed since that fateful evening in the school gymnasium where Archie was framed by Hiram Lodge and arrested for the murder of Cassidy Bullock. It's now the summer before the gang's junior year of high school, during which time, each of them spent the summer invested in their own activities; Veronica working at Pop's. Betty, in an internship for Mary Andrews. And though it doesn't pay much, it's for a good cause, Archie's freedom. Archie's trial is now in session. He sits alongside his mother, Mary, and attorney McCoy, both of whom are acting as his counsel. Jughead, Betty, Veronica, Fred, Alice, FP, Josie, Sweet Pea, Moose, Kevin, Tom, Pop Tate, Sheriff Minetta, Hiram, and Hermione are all in attendance. Archie is being prosecuted by District Attorney, Ms. Wright. The evidence and testimony presented during court supposedly tells a dark tale, that Archie has a history of violent behavior; he started two vigilante groups, the Dark Circle, formerly known as the Red Circle. He also assaulted Nick St. Clair and threatened Sweet Pea at gunpoint. Ms. Wright claims that while partying with his friends in the town of Shadow Lake, Archie ran into the woods and shot Cassidy Bullock in the head. However, Archie states that it was Andre who did the killing. However, Ms. Wright insists that Archie pulled the trigger in her closing argument. Mary attempts to sway the jury by drawing attention to Archie's kinder side and all the good deeds he has done, such as helping solve the murder of Jason Blossom, providing the Southside Serpents with refuge as they hid from the police, and punching through a layer of ice in order to save Cheryl from drowning. With that in mind, Mary takes the opportunity to remind the jury that there were no witnesses, murder weapon or motive to the killing of Cassidy Bullock. All the prosecution has is cloudy testimony from unreliable people. While it is Mary's solemn duty to protect her son, as an attorney, it's her duty to adhere to the facts and evidence. There is nothing to prove that Archie is Cassidy's killer. After hearing from both the prosecution and the defense, the jury begins to deliberate. While the jury deliberates, Josie and Kevin inquire with their parents about Archie's chances of being found not guilty. Sierra replies that it's 50/50. Just down the hall, Fred, Betty, and Jughead praise Mary for her defense, to which Mary thanks Betty for her assistance over the summer. Veronica then arrives to ask if anyone had seen Archie. When they explain that they haven't Jughead, Betty and Veronica set out to find him. Archie sits on the steps of the courthouse, all alone, reminiscing over past summers spent at Sweetwater Swimming Hole, when he is joined by Jughead, Betty and Veronica. Archie reminds Betty and Jughead how much fun they had together every summer at the swimming hole. Coincidentally, Betty and Jughead have also been thinking about it. However, they stopped going after they got covered in leeches one summer. Unfortunately, Veronica had never been and would like to go in fact. However, that would have to wait as Kevin interrupts to inform them that it's time to return to the courtroom. The Judge reveals that the jury is still deliberating, but he's also dismissed them for the evening. They're sequestered and he's instructed them not to read anything about this case, nor to discuss it with anyone. They'll reconvene all Tuesday morning after Labor Day. With that being said, the Judge advises Archie to spend the weekend with his family and loved ones. As Veronica, Mary, Archie, Fred, Jughead and Betty leave the courtroom, Hiram makes a remark towards Archie, resulting in Fred punching him in the face. The two are then separated before the incident can escalate. Jughead passes Ben and Dilton Doiley in a booth at Pop's. He stops by to say hi and ask what they're playing, but before Dilton can respond, Ben tells him to shut up. And so, Jughead moves on, joining Archie, Betty, and Veronica in their booth. Betty thinks they can vindicate Archie if they find the gun that Andre used to kill Cassidy, however, Veronica tore the Pembrooke apart in search of the murder weapon but failed to find it. According to Veronica, after the riots, her father erased all traces of Andre. Jughead concludes that Andre most likely ditched the weapon at Shadow Lake. They contemplate returning to Shadow woods with metal detectors in search of the gun, but Archie doesn't want to spend what could be his last weekend looking for evidence that isn't there. They see it as three extra days to save Archie from going to prison, but he would rather follow the Judge's advice by spending time with them. Enter Cheryl in her short, denim shorts and red Serpent jacket. She's back from riding cross-country on motorcycles with Toni for the summer. They're celebrating with an epic End-of-Summer pool party at Thornhill. Cheryl warns them that while they're welcome to invite whomever they please, she's in the mood for some hellraising. The following day, Betty is spotted by Alice and Polly as she attempts to sneak out the house unnoticed. They welcome her to join them, but Betty declines. Alice asks if she's off to another therapy session with Dr. Glass, but that isn't for another day, Betty replies. She's actually headed to see Archie. Alice tells Betty that before she goes back to school, she thinks it's important that they spend some quality family time together. Edgar Evernever, the leader of the Farm, thinks it's important, though Betty dismisses the notion. Betty helps Archie and Fred fix up the car they got from the junkyard in the Andrews' garage. Betty admits that watching Fred punch Hiram Lodge in the face was Incredibly cathartic, though, as Fred points out, it almost got him landed in jail. Archie has the honor of starting the car. It would seem that all their efforts are successful, as the car starts without a problem. When Archie comments that they fixed the car just in time him to go to prison, Fred gets choked up and heads inside. This provokes Archie to ask a favor of Betty. If he does go away, Archie asks that Betty check on his dad, and occasionally invite him to dinner, as he'll be all alone once Archie's mom returns to Chicago. Betty promises to fulfill Archie's last request from her. At the Pembrooke, Veronica tells Hiram that his attempt to keep her and Archie apart will fail. She knows that he's framing Archie for murder. And so, only he can stop it. So, Veronica asks her father to stop the trial as Archie is innocent. However, Hiram argues that Archie's dangerous and has a history of violence. Veronica pleads with her father to save Archie as he won't make it in prison, though Hiram has no interest in stopping any of it, claiming that it is beyond his control. Veronica asks one last time, but Hiram refuses. While they know that Hiram Lodge has taken over the south side as he's been colluding with the Ghoulies, Jughead, Sweet Pea and Fangs set out to figure out what exactly Hiram is up to. Jughead orders Fangs to find the Ghoulies' new lair. Jughead tells him not to engage if he sees them as this is just a recon mission, and they can't risk another gang war. They only need a confirmation of whatever Hiram's up to, that it has nothing to do with the Serpents or Riverdale High. FP then calls Jughead over to get a look at the Serpent tattoo that he just tattooed onto Archie, who is now an honorary Serpent. The first thing Jughead learned at Southside High was that you need to roll with a crew to survive. There are gonna be Serpents in juvenile detention. Archie needs to find them. That tattoo is going to get Archie in and offer protection. While Jughead's right, up to a point, FP explains that the Serpent ink will only help keep Archie's body safe. He still has to worry about protecting his mind as it is the first thing that goes when you're locked up. You gotta keep your wits about you, Red., FP says. RD-Caps-3x01-Labor-Day-53-Betty-Alice Betty takes her diaries back from Alice Betty comes downstairs to find her mother with all of her diaries. After talking to Edgar about them, both he and Alice agree that Betty should burn them because she's been filling the pages with so much pain and suffering over the years. She needs to let that go. Betty retorts that her therapist, Dr. Glass, says journaling is a perfectly healthy outlet. And while Alice respects that, the diaries are Betty's past. And her past is crushing her. Betty again dismisses the notion and Edgar entirely. Although, Betty may look down on the Farm, Edgar has done nothing but help Alice. He's encouraged her to embrace everything that she was ashamed of and become the best version of herself. Alice then points out that Betty's not dealing with her problems, such as The trauma from last year with what happened with Hal and Chic. Alice worries about Betty, so she suggests that Betty listen to what her soul is telling her. Betty sarcastically remarks that her soul is telling her to get away from her mother as she's been body-snatched. As Betty exits the house, Polly warns their mother that there's something else she should know about Betty. Just as planned, Cheryl hosts an End-of-Summer pool party at Thornhill. Sweet Pea sits poolside with Josie, whom he seems to have struck a romantic relationship with over the summer. He's excited for school to start back up, mostly because he'll get to see Josie in the hall every day. However, Josie has other plans in mind. She told him when they started this that their summer fling was going be just that. A fling. With a three-month expiration date. Sweet Pea is very much aware, but he doesn't want the good times to end, caressing Josie's upper thigh as he hopes that she'll reconsider. Josie admits that she has enjoyed their time spent together. Nevertheless, not even he is going to distract her from her music. They then proceed to kiss. Just behind Josie and Sweet Pea sit Kevin and Moose. Kevin stops his reading to make a pact with Moose, which requires them to lose their virginity before Halloween. Moose seems uncomfortable and unsure, but shakes his head in agreement anyway. While tossing the football around with Reggie, Archie tells him that he'll need to step up and lead the Bulldogs should he be convicted of murder. Reggie replies that he's already the captain, but this isn't what Archie meant. He'll need Reggie to work with Jughead in order to maintain peace between the Bulldogs and the Serpents. There will be no more Circles, red, dark or otherwise. Reggie agrees, adding that bloody chapter is over. He then compliments Archie on his new Serpent tattoo. Cheryl sighs heavily as she and Toni overlook the pool party, leaving Toni to wonder what's on her mind. Cheryl replies that it's Archie. He saved her life at Sweetwater River, where she tried to kill herself. Cheryl had never talked about it with Toni before. Cheryl explains that she lost hope and she did something really stupid, and Archie was there to save her, but now there's nothing that she can do to save him, which bothers her greatly. Betty approaches Veronica as she sits alone at the party. Veronica went to see Archie's mom and Attorney McCoy, to ask them to put her on that stand. She wanted to get in front of that jury, to tell them the truth about her father, to see if that might make a difference, but they said it's too late. Josie interrupts to inform Veronica that she may not be too late after all. The jury is being sequestered at the Five Seasons. Third floor, room 301. The security's tight, but Josie thinks she can get Veronica in. Veronica's thinking that she only needs to get to one Jury member. To convince them that her dad's the villain here, not Archie, for there to be a hung jury. Which would give them more time to prove Archie is innocent. Jughead briefly makes awkward eye contact with Dilton at the pool party before being rushed by Fangs, who claims that the Ghoulies have Hot Dog. In light of this, they rally the other young Serpents (Sweet Pea, Toni, Cheryl, and Betty). Fangs is positive that it was Hot Dog. He suspects that the Ghoulies snatched him on riot night. He looked very skinny. Fangs doubts they're feeding him enough. Given the savage nature of Ghoulies, Sweet Pea believes that they're lucky the Ghoulies aren't eating Hot Dog. Toni looks to Jughead for their next move. They'd be going behind enemy lines, outnumbered, open to attack from all directions and risking another gang war. However, no Serpent left behind. That includes their spirit animal. They're going to deploy after dark. It's going to be a quick stealth mission. Betty reminds Jughead that the last time he went into Ghoulie territory, he was beaten to within an inch of his life. However, he'll have backup this time. With that being said, Betty wants to come along. The Serpent Queen is a warrior queen. So if Jughead's on the front lines, then so is she. Archie returns home to hear his mother and father discussing the trial. They tried to stack the jury in Archie's favor with women and mothers, but maybe it backfired. Nonetheless, Fred believes Mary did everything that she could. Even still, Mary can't help but think if she hadn't left Riverdale and gone to Chicago, she could've stopped Hiram Lodge from getting control of Archie, who then enters the room to tell them that they shouldn't blame themselves for what he did. Taking Hiram's side against his father was the biggest mistake he ever made, but it's on him. Archie explains that they are the best parents anyone could ask for. Everything they've done for him, he doesn't think he deserves it. Whatever happens to him on Tuesday, that is what Archie believes he deserves. However, Fred will stand for no such thing. Archie is a good kid who was simply manipulated by a mobster. But, he does not deserve to be framed for murder. Fred gives Archie a hug and tells him that he and Mary will always love him. Dressed in a maid's uniform, Veronica walks the third floor of the Five Seasons hotel before finding room finding room 301. She knocks on the door, claiming that she's housekeeping, but before she can even get in, she is intercepted by Sheriff Minetta, who was sent by Hiram, who suspected Veronica might attempt to pull such a stunt. Hermione scolds Veronica in the Sheriff Station for attempted jury tampering. Veronica explains that she had no other choice. For the last three months, all she could think about is how to help Archie. Her father is a monster yet her mother just stand by him complacent, like some Park Avenue trophy wife. Veronica being Hiram's daughter affords her a certain amount of protection that Hermione doesn't enjoy. He'll never harm a hair on Veronica's head, but Hermione can't say the same for herself. She won't leave Veronica alone in the world with Hiram. Hermione's a prisoner. But she is not his puppet. Jughead, Betty, Cheryl, Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs steak out the Ghoulies' lair, where they are holding Hot Dog. An hour goes by and nothing happens. So, Jughead instructs Sweet Pea and the others to be lookouts as he goes to retrieve Hot Dog. Armed with a set of bolt cutters, Jughead cuts Hot Dog's chain. Immediately after doing so, lights flash from nearby cars and he is surrounded by Penny, Malachai and the Ghoulies. As it turns out, taking Hot Dog was merely a ploy to get Jughead to come to her. Penny wants to talk, specifically about the spies he had been sending all summer, trying to get into their business. Penny warns him to back off unless he wants to replay riot night, where they almost killed him. Jughead admits to sending scouts, but lies and says that it was only to retrieve Hot Dog. As he begins to walk away, Penny notices his Serpent jacket. It says "South Side Serpents" despite the fact that the south side no longer belongs to the Serpents, meaning that Penny wants his jacket. Penny had heard about Betty joining the Serpents and contemplates going after her next. With that in mind, Jughead agrees to give up the jacket so long as the Ghoulies stay out of the north side. As Malachai approaches Jughead, he is shot in the shoulder with an arrow by Cheryl, much to Jughead's dismay. When Penny orders the others to just kill the young Serpents, Jughead orders Cheryl to aim her next arrow at Penny, forcing Penny to call off her men. She lets Jughead go, but not before telling him that he just made the north side fair game. Archie has a dream where he chases Cassidy through the woods and tackles him to the ground. However, in this dream, he pulls the trigger, killing Cassidy, rather than Andre being the killer. When he turns around, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead are looking at him in disappointment. Archie then looks down to his blood covered hands, as he holds the murder weapon. Archie wakes up from his sleep in a panic. The next morning, he cleans off the car. At Sunnyside Trailer Park, after telling Jughead that Dilton came by to see him, FP inquires about Hot Dog. Jughead replies that he's sleeping under the trailer, but he's bouncing back. As for how Jughead's doing, he's worried. Penny's got the north side in her sights. Cheryl's a loose cannon. Betty's a target. And they're not even Southside Serpents anymore. Screw the south side, FP says. Jughead's a Serpent by blood, and no one can take that from him. Archie then arrives outside to pick Jughead up. Alice and Polly sit Betty down. The pharmacy called. They can't complete an Adderall prescription that was requested by Betty's doctor because she had one refilled in Greendale two weeks ago. Furthermore, DR. Glass doesn't exist. Betty's been forging prescriptions for herself. So now Alice and Polly are worried about her. She's been lying about going to therapy. Now, she's making up a psychiatrist so that she can scam medication. Betty can't believe that she's being given a hard time for trying to re-up a prescription that her mother literally shoved them in her hands a year ago. Alice explains this was before Edgar explained the dangers of pharmaceuticals. Betty can't believe her mother's actually buying into the Farm. Edgar is helping them move on and he can help Betty too, though Betty doesn't see their methods will help get over the fact that her father murdered four people and tried to kill them. Polly becomes enraged, stating that Betty is in denial. She has a secret life, involving hoarding stolen drugs and hiding from her pain. Betty may hate the Farm, but they healed Polly and Alice, and before they can heal Betty, she needs to admit that she's sick. Archie then arrives outside to pick her up. Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead drive down to Sweetwater Swimming Hole in Archie's jalopy. They get undressed and jump into the water. Afterward, the four of them sit around a campfire. No matter what happens in court, Archie informs them that this is the best last day of summer a guy could ask for. In a one last-ditch effort to keep Archie out of prison, Jughead suggests that he make a break for it. Past that treeline, there's a road that goes through the mountains to Quebec. There are Serpents north of the border that will keep him supplied. Betty says that he doesn't deserve it, but Archie questions if he does. He's guilty. He didn't kill Cassidy, but he left him alone with Andre. Had Archie stayed, he might still be alive. More than just that, Archie blames himself for everything that went wrong last year. And he has to take responsibility for that. Betty and Jughead have split off from Archie and Veronica. Betty reveals that she isn't ready for summer to end. This summer, she hasn't stopped or slept, because of working on Archie's case. She's barely looked up since May, and her mom and Polly think that she's been hiding and avoiding, which she admittedly has been. Betty thinks that she should stop taking Adderall and start seeing an actual therapist. Either way, come Tuesday, it'll all be over. And she'll have to face everything that has happened, everything that will happen. All these things that she doesn't have control over, they terrify her. Jughead assures Betty that they're gonna get through it. From now on, they're partners. In Serpents, in life, all of it. Betty and Jughead then begin to kiss. Not far away, Archie and Veronica have sex. Afterward, as they lie awake, Archie tells Veronica that if he does go away, he doesn't want Veronica visiting him while locked away. Should that happen, Veronica will be taking the bus every week with all the other prison widows and bringing Archie Magnolia Cupcakes from New York. As well as working on his appeal. This is exactly what Archie doesn't want. He doesn't want Veronica spending the rest of her high school waiting for him. Veronica refuses to let go of Archie. She's not letting her dad take away the one thing that she loves. Archie accepts this as Veronica seems to determined for her mind to be changed. He then opens up to her, revealing that the thing that keeps him up most nights isn't that he might get shivved. It's that he won't be able to graduate with them. Labor Day weekend is over and Archie must now return to court. He heads downstairs, joining his parents at the front door. Mary and Fred watch as he plays with Vegas before leaving. As Jughead and FP prepare to head out for Archie's trial, Dilton shows up at the trailer. He and Ben were playing what they initially thought to be just a role-playing game. But Dilton now realizes it's much more. Dilton lastly states that the Gargoyle King is real. Jughead doesn't know what this means and he certainly doesn't have the time to figure it out. So, he tells Dilton to take a seat and they can further discuss the matter when he returns from court. Archie's trial is now in session. All his friends and family are in attendance, as well as his enemies. This includes Betty, Jughead, Veronica, Cheryl, Josie, Kevin, Moose, Toni, Sweet Pea, Fred, Mary Attorney McCoy, Tom, Alice, FP, Pop Tate, Sheriff Minetta, Hiram, and Hermione. However, the jury could not reach a verdict. They're deadlocked. Six-to-six. With that, the jury is dismissed. Archie wonders what will happen next. Mary explains that the judge will declare a mistrial and they'll have to do it all again. In lieu of another trial, the State is prepared to offer a deal for a lesser sentence, Ms. Wright says. Instead of prison, time served plus two years in juvenile detention, if Archie will plead guilty to the crime of manslaughter. Despite his mother's counsel, Archie takes the deal, much to the court's surprise. Archie explains that he can't put all the people he cares about through this again. The court accepts Archie's guilty plea and he is taken directly from the courthouse to the Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center, where he will serve out his sentence beginning immediately. As he's being taken away, Archie gives his mother a hug and tells Veronica that he loves her. Back at the Andrews house, Mary prepares to leave for Chicago. She's already written the appeal and will file it from Chicago. Fred, Tom and FP assure Mary that they'll get Archie home. Once they return home, Veronica asks her father if he's satisfied now that Archie's locked away. It all worked out, just as he planned. Archie didn't play by Hiram's rules, so he was punished, Veronica surmises. However, this would be incorrect. Hiram didn't frame Archie because he threatened him. Hiram did it because Veronica betrayed him. Archie's arrest is her punishment. She chose Archie over blood. Hiram can't believe his own daughter would do that. To this, Veronica replies that he doesn't have a daughter anymore. Elsewhere, Archie is on a transport bus to the Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center. Jughead returns to the trailer, but Dilton is nowhere in sight. However, Dilton left behind a map of Riverdale for Jughead to follow. Jughead follows the map into the woods, where he finds a totem of sorts, an exact sculpture of the picture drawn on the back of the map left behind by Dilton. As Jughead gets closer, he finds Dilton and Ben, unconscious, stripped of their clothes, with markings etched into their backs. Also on site are candles and some kind of blue liquid. It would seem a ceremony of some kind was taking place. Ben wakes up, but he is unresponsive and foaming from the mouth. So, Jughead screams out for help. Meanwhile, Betty comes downstairs, calling out to her mom and Polly. She heads onto the back porch, where she finds Alice and Polly, along with several other members of the Farm, holding Juniper and Dagwood over a fire. They let the twins go into the fire. However, instead of falling in, Juniper and Dagwood float above the flames. Betty then collapses. She begins convulsing and is unresponsive to Alice's calls to her. Cast *KJ Apa as Archie Andrews *Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper *Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge *Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones *Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge *Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom *Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy *Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge *Casey Cott as Kevin Keller *Charles Melton as Reggie Mantle *Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz *Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones *Mädchen Amick as Alice Smith *Luke Perry as Fred Andrews *Martin Cummins as Tom Keller *Major Curda as Dilton Doiley *Robin Givens as Sierra McCoy *Tommy Martinez as Malachai *Penelope Ann Miller as Ms. Wright *Brit Morgan as Penny Peabody *Molly Ringwald as Mary Andrews *Tiera Skovbye as Polly Cooper *Henderson Wade as Michael Minetta *Jordan Connor as Sweet Pea *Cody Kearsley as Moose Mason *Drew Ray Tanner as Fangs Fogarty *Kaare Anderson as Forman *Chris Britton as Judge *Marc Gaudet as Baliff *Harrison MacDonald as Cassidy Bullock *Alvin Sanders as Pop Tate *Moses Thiessen as Ben Trivia *The episode title comes from Joyce Maynard's 2009 coming-of-age novel, and the 2013 American drama film of the same name. *This episode takes place over Labor Day weekend, meaning a three-month time jump occurs between the Season 2 finale, Chapter Thirty-Five: Brave New World and this episode. *When arguing with her mom, Betty referred to The Farm as "Heaven's Gate". Heaven's Gate was a religious cult that led to a mass suicide of its member in the 90s after two decades of activity. *At Cheryl's pool party, Kevin was reading "At Swim, Two Boys", a novel by Irish writer Jamie O'Neill. *Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center takes its name from the infamous Leopold and Loeb, two murderers who tried to carry out the "perfect crime" in 1924. *This is the first time Cody Kearsley and Drew Ray Tanner are credited under "Guest Starring" instead of "Co-Starring". *Archie's trial is shown to be a juvenile court trial; however, there are many discrepancies to what the show presents as a juvenile court and what a juvenile court actually is: **Archie's trial is shown to have a jury. In juvenile court, a minor does not have the right to trial by jury. If a juvenile is charged with committing a delinquent act, a bench trial is conducted by a judge alone. **Juvenile sentencing is not for purposes of punishment, but for rehabilitation in the minor's best interest. **A juvenile is prosecuted for delinquent acts and not for committing a crime. If the alleged acts are serious enough, then the minor may be tried as an adult for committing crimes in the adult system. However, since Archie is sentenced to a juvenile detention center and not to a prison, we can conclude that he was indeed not tried as an adult, but as a minor. **Mary Andrews wouldn't have been allowed to be his lawyer due to a personal conflict of interest. Category:Labor Day Category:Episodes Category:Originally aired on The CW Category:Warner Bros. Category:2018 releases Category:Based on comic books